A. Ordering Radioactive Material

1. Radioactive material orders can only be placed by VEHS. Only a PI who has been approved by the RSC may order and/or receive radioactive material.
2. Radioactive material can be ordered online at the VEHS website www.safety.vanderbilt.ed  or requisitions for radioactive material can be placed on a "Requisition to Purchase Radioactive Material". This form can be downloaded from the VEHS website at www.safety.vanderbilt.edu. Requisitions require the PI's signature or the signature of an individual who the PI has authorized to order radioactive material. The PI must submit in writing to VEHS the names of the individuals who are authorized to place radioactive material orders.
3. Radioactive material possession limits are established by the RSC for each PI. VEHS must verify that the receipt of an order will not cause a PI to exceed the authorized possession limit.
4. Radioactive material obtained at no charge must be processed through VEHS.
5. The PI, who orders the radioactive material, is responsible for the safe use and disposal of the material. This responsibility is not transferred to another individual who uses the radioactive material unless an official transfer has been effected through VEHS.

B. License Exempt Purchases

1. Quantities of radioactive material that do not exceed the Container Posting Levels specified in Appendix B "Table of Radionuclides"can sometimes be purchased as "license exempt". The purchase must be from a commercial vendor holding a special license authorizing exempt purchases. Radioactive material accountability records are not required for these purchases, nor are they included in the PI's radioactive material inventory.
2. Any PI who has been authorized by the RSC to use specific radionuclides may purchase those radionuclides as license exempt.
3. License-exempt purchases must be ordered in the same manner as non-exempt radioactive material. An accountability record will not be issued for an exempt radiation source.
4. Materials received as licensed exempt cannot be administered to humans.

C. Receipt of Radioactive Material Packages

1. All radioactive material must be received by VEHS.
2. VEHS receives, surveys, inventories, and delivers radioactive material directly to the laboratory.
3. VEHS will only release radioactive material to trained radiation workers.
4. If the PI is not authorized for the type or the amount of radioactive material, then VEHS will hold the radioactive material until the problem is resolved.

D. Receipt and Disposal Records

1. The PI is required to maintain receipt and disposal records for all radioactive material. An accountability record is issued to the PI when the order is delivered to the laboratory.
2. After the radioactive material has been disposed the accountability record is to be returned to VEHS. VEHS maintains a file of these records for inspection by regulatory agencies.
3. VEHS maintains centralized radioactive material inventory records for Vanderbilt.

E. Transfer of Radioactive Material

VEHS must approve all transfer requests before the transfer is made. VEHS must verify that the PI in question is authorized to receive the radionuclide and will not exceed authorized limits.

Transfer Procedure

1. Complete the top section of the Radioisotope Record Internal Transfer Form except for the VEHS Use Only and the New Requisition Number sections. This form is available from the VEHS office and can also be downloaded from the VEHS web site www.safety.vanderbilt.edu.
2. Fax the form to the VEHS Radioisotope Order Office at 3-2041.
3. If the transfer is approved, the form will be returned to the P.I. transferring from. Then the PI transferring to may be given the radioactive material along with the Internal Transfer Form. The lower half of the form is to be used as the disposal sheet. It does not have to be on pink colored paper.
4. The P.I. transferring from must also record this transfer on the original requisition disposal record.

Additional Procedures:

1. Contact VEHS if you want to transport radioactive material to an off site location.
2. Transfers to the VA Medical Center must receive the prior approval of the VA Radiation Safety Officer. The radioactive material should not be transported on a public street.

F. Shipping Radioactive Material

Contact VEHS (2-2057) to make arrangements to ship radioactive material.

G. Radioactive Waste Disposal

See Appendix C: Radioactive Waste Disposal.